How to protect yourself from ransomware

I have written a lot on ransomware in the past few weeks — and for good reason. Your computer can easily get infected if proper steps are not taken to stop this raging menace.

From time to time, I get some excellent information from some of the good software companies that are trying to help you protect your computer. I recently received an article from Wendy Zamora at Malwarebytes, and I would like to share some of her comments.

Types of ransomware

Why it is so important to prevent ransomware attacks from happening in the first place? The first step in ransomware prevention is to recognize the different types of ransomware that may infect your computer. Ransomware can range in seriousness from mild to extremely severe.

Scareware

Okay, yes, it is called scareware, but in comparison to other types of ransomware — not so scary. Scareware includes rogue security software and tech support scams. You might receive a pop-up message claiming that virus infections or malware was discovered on your computer, and the only way to get rid of the infection is to pay up.

If you do nothing, you will likely continue to be bombarded with pop-ups, but your files are essentially safe. A quick scan from your security software should be able to clear out these suckers.

Pro tip: A legitimate cybersecurity software program would not solicit customers in this way. If you do not already have this company’s software on your computer, then they would not be monitoring you for ransomware infection. If you do have this company’s software, you would not need to pay to have the infection removed—you have already paid for the software to do that very job.

Screen lockers

Upgrade to terror alert orange for these guys. When lock-screen ransomware gets on your computer, it means you are frozen out of your PC entirely. Upon starting up your computer, a full-size window will appear, often accompanied by an official-looking FBI or U.S. Department of Justice seal saying illegal activity has been detected on your computer and you must pay a fine.

In order to reclaim control of your PC, a full system restore might be in order. If that does not work, you can try running a scan from a bootable CD or USB drive. This should only be performed by a trained professional.

Pro tip: The FBI would not freeze you out of your computer or demand payment for illegal activity. If they suspected you of piracy, child pornography, or other cybercrimes, they would go through the appropriate legal channels.

Encrypting ransomware

This is the truly nasty stuff. These are the guys who snatch up your files and encrypt them, demanding payment in order to decrypt and redeliver. The reason why this type of ransomware is so dangerous is because once cybercriminals get a hold of your files, no security software or system restore can return them to you.

Unless you pay the ransom—they are gone. And even if you do pay up, there is no guarantee the cybercriminals will give you those files back.

Pro tip: The FBI has changed its position on whether folks should pay the ransom. They now agree with cybersecurity professionals, who advise you to avoid this option. Complying with ransomware criminals just opens the door up for future attacks. If, however, really valuable files are at stake, you can try to negotiate the release of the most important for less money. This should only be done as a last resort.

So what should you do to protect your files from this kind of ransomware? Get out in front of it.

“If any attack in the history of malware proves that you need protection in place before the attack happens, encrypting ransomware is it,” says Adam Kujawa, Director of Malwarebytes Labs. “It’s too late once you get infected. Game over.”

Ransomware prevention

The first step in ransomware prevention is to invest in awesome cybersecurity—a program with real-time protection that is designed to thwart advanced malware attacks such as ransomware. You should also look out for features that will both shield vulnerable programs from threats (an anti-exploit technology) as well as block ransomware from holding files hostage. Consult with a trusted local professional

Next, as much as it may pain you, you need to create secure backups of your data on a regular basis. You can purchase USBs or an external hard drive where you can save new or updated files—just be sure to physically disconnect the devices from your computer after backing up; otherwise they can become infected with ransomware, too. Cloud storage is another option, but we recommend using a server with high-level encryption and multiple-factor authentication.

Then, be sure your systems and software are updated. The most recent ransomware outbreak took advantage of vulnerability in Microsoft software. While the company had released a patch for the security loophole back in March, many folks did not install the update — which left them open to attack.

We get that it is hard to stay on top of an ever-growing list of updates from an ever-growing list of software and applications used in your daily life. That is why we recommend changing your settings to enable automatic updating.

Finally, stay informed. One of the most common ways that computers are infected with ransomware is through social engineering. Educate yourself on how to detect phishing campaigns, suspicious websites, and other scams. And above all else, exercise common sense. If it seems suspect, it probably is.

Stay protected!

George Cox is owner of Computer Diagnostics and Repair in Mesquite. Call him at 702-346-4217.